New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-28
IN MEMORY OF FENToN.
SERVICES IN HIS HONOR IN ALBANY.
sULoGIsrIC ADDRESS BY cHAUNCEY NJ. DEPEw IN
THR ASSEMBLY CHAMBER.
rpv rrLr0RAPH THE TRIBuNH1


TpY TELEGRAPH 10 THE TRrguSHl
ALBANY. April 27.-There were memorial services
tonight in the Assembly Chamber In honor OF ex-
Governor Reuben K. Feuton The orator OF the even
ing was Chaupcey NJ. Depew. The members OF the
Legislature, most Of the State officers, the judges
of the Court of Appeals, and leading citizens OF
ALBANY with their wives and daughters were pres
emit. Among the guests were Reuben Z. Fenton
q son Of The Ex-Governor; Frank Z. Clifford and
ALBERT Gift I'd, his son-in-law Mayor Price, Oh
jamestown: Jerome b. Fisher and John Wood
ford. These gentlemen all came from, jamestown
the former home of the Ex-Governor Several
members If the FentOn staff were also present.
among them being General Edwin A. Merritt, OF
St Lawrence County, and General George 5
Bachelor.
Senator Vedder called the assemblage to order
and nominated Speaker Hustled for chairman OF
the meeting. Prayer was offered by the Rev. w
w. Batlershall, and then Mr.. Depew was intro
duced His Grafton was listened to with profound
attention and several times was interrupted by
applause. His eulogy Of Horace Greeley and mar
rative Of Mr. Greeley's course while a candidate
for President In 1872 especially interested the
audience His address is given below in full.
THE ADDRESS.
Gentlemen Of tie Senate aud Assembly Of the State Of
Eer-Y York.
in her Governors Many Of them have been states
men Of National and commanding influence. Two OF
them have served as Presidents and two rs Vice
Presidents of the United States and two others were
the choice Of their party for the Chief Mag1stracy OF
the Republic. Their influence upon the policy ana
course of government has been potential. 1t Is
proper this place to speak only OF those VINO nave
Joined the majority beyond the grave. There Is no
more heroic figure In Revolutionary annals IMAM QUIZ
FIRST Governor, George Clinton. Within an hour a1ter
fl.a nj
and danger In front Of the enemy His obstinate
COURAGE wise generalship and great popularity did
much to keep New-YoIk, full as the colony was OF
Royalists loyal to liberty and the Continental Con-
gress. JOHN Jay did more than any one save Alex
ander Hamilton to bind the discordant colonies into
harmonious oonfederacy. Dewitt Clinton by his
foresight and energy made New-York tho Empire
State and her chief city the commercial metropolis
Of the continent.
Martin Van Buren, for nearly quarter OF cen
fury was the actual ruler Of the Republic, through
his control and management Of the dominant party,
and he gave political form and substance TO the
auti-slayery sentiment. William I. Marcy, United
States Senator and twice Cabinet Minister, mas iee
an indellpe impress upon the history OF his tnne'
Silas Wright ranks among our ideal statesmen nc
possessed the oftiest character and most signal ao
tty His ambitions always subordinated 10 the
public welfare. He could calmly lay aside the GER
tanty of the Presidency when his duty as he under
stood it called him to serve in more hazardous Dut
minor fields, and he was In every sense mooern
Cincinnatus. The name of William II. seward VIII
be among the few Of his generation which VIII sur
vive in coming ages He was the political phhoso-
pher of his period who alone Of his contemporaries
grasped the full meaning and inevitable result OF the
vast moral questions which agitated the country
His matchless genius for affairs and unruiied )udg-
ment In the midst Of trial and danger kept that
peace with the world without which alone enabled
Nationality to win its victory within. His speeches.
and state papers will be the exhaustless treasury
from which the statesmen Of the future VIII draw
their best lessons and inspiration. Within our I'm
mediate memory the tablets UPON our gubernatoriai
mausoeum recall the public services OF John A. King
Relvcn E. Fenton and Samuel J. Tilden No other
State has been governed by an equal number Oh men
of National influence and tame 1t therefore emf,
nenty Proper and wise that the Legde
the history and characters Of its departed CHIEF Mas
EARLY TRIALS AND SUCCESSES.
The one In whose honor we are here assemoea
worthiy with the best Of his predecessors III
once Repeated and iong-continued promotions 10
nlaoes of trust by popular suffrage are cumulative
evidence Of merit and distinction. The opportunity
to rise from humble station to lofty positions Is the
common heritage Of all, but they only successfully
climb the slippery and pcrilous ascent ga'herins
fresh strength at each station Tor bolder enofts "ho
are easily the leaders Of their fellows The early
settlers OF Western New-York n hardy and en-
terprsing race and their children, roughing IL IN log
cabins forest clearings and frontier experiences
were by hercdty and education state Duiiders' 'hcy
created farms out of the wilderness, formed commum
ties and organized government. IL Is easier ioi
man of ability to get on In new county anu wa.n
fresh surroundings than In the neighboriood where
be was born. Where every one has hhowh MN from
childhood often Is Handicapped by tne uioigo.eii
frjyolites youth and reaches mid le lie before nc
a new settler he starts at once at the level his
,rtaned capabilities IL IS inc Pecuiar u,.sino
before ho was Of age; that he became the choice Of
his fellow citizens Tor positions OF ust as soon a. ne
attained his majority and ashs ms ds ie @ az n are np
Known confidence q the People among WI whom Ia1 he
He saw western NewYork exland from the forest into
one Of the beautiful highly cultivated and Richest
prosperous population, which had founded cities,
formed villages erected schools, endowed colleges
and planted by every stream hourshng manuiact-
cries. and he remained throughout all this growth
and until his death the foremost t and most Of
his town. and three times chairman of tho County
10 FOR Of hy this rest staten Tned
and the choice of New-York for .icePIesdent In the
This proud career was not helped by accldeno, or
luck, wealth, or family Or powerful fr ed e
father failed in business, and the boy dropped his
fa ndlSs ana retrieve is credit but pr
dent, COURAGEOUS but cautious his audacity subject a
boldly struck out for himself. He trayeTsed the
5s s'ss sa snd Sn's y following
life was spent In logging camps and plotting his rats
lures exposure and perls Of the work gave him an
iron constitution and knowledge of men, and dcvel-
oped his rare capacity for business An omniverous
and intelligent reader he became, by the light Cd
blazing fires In the forests ana pine snd snU %ae1 inc
formed At thIrtyone he had paid his fathers debts
and secured a comfortable competence for himself.
Then came inevitable internal struggle with him
self Of the who has early in life achieved an
Independence He feels his strength, the ardor and
fire Of vigorous manhood enlarge his vision and he
limits to his ambitions The divergent roads
10 untO wealth on the one side, hon0rs and fame
on the other, are before him. and to lead the crowd
his best energies will be required for whichever
path he selects. Mr.. Fenton determined TO devOtc
lis future public service and benccfCrward his
life became Identified with the history OF his times
A LsADER THE NEW PARTY.
had aJyavs been a Democrat, the great